City Nature: Tales of Ornery Plants, Opinionated Birds, Gardening Triumphs and Tragedies, and Capturing It All Through A Lens By Martha Retallick

City Nature: Tales of Ornery Plants, Opinionated Birds, Gardening Triumphs and Tragedies, and Capturing It All Through A Lens
By Martha Retallick
Publisher: Western Sky Communications
Published: April 23, 2023
ISBN: 9798986857701
Genre: Art and Photography, Home and Garden, Outdoors and Nature
Formats Available For Review: Printed coffee table books (Contacts in U.S. only)

As of January 28, 2025, 33.22% of the U.S. and Puerto Rico and 39.64% of the lower 48 states are in drought, according to the latest data from Drought.gov. Water scarcity is no longer confined to isolated regions; cities across the nation are facing increased pressures to conserve and rethink how to use every drop.

In Tucson, Arizona – a city that averages just 12 inches of rainfall per year – drought isn’t an occasional challenge; it’s a way of life. Yet even in this arid environment, award-winning documentary photographer Martha Retallick has transformed her home into a thriving, water-efficient urban oasis.

When Retallick bought her home in 2004, the yard was barren – crushed rock in the front and invasive Bermuda grass in the back. Two decades later, her property showcases lush, sustainable landscaping, all without relying on municipal irrigation.

The secret? A combination of passive and active water harvesting techniques that cities and homeowners across the country can learn from.

“Drought affects all of us,” Retallick says. “Whether you’re in the deserts of Arizona, the plains of the Midwest, or urban centers like Los Angeles and Atlanta, water resilience starts at home.”

Her methods offer practical and affordable solutions for cities and communities nationwide:

• Passive Water Harvesting: Sculpting the land with basins, berms, and drainage swales to channel rainwater toward plants and away from structures. These earthworks eliminate the need for irrigation connected to municipal water systems.

• Active Water Harvesting: Retallick installed a 1,500-gallon rainwater cistern to irrigate her vegetable garden and a greywater harvesting system that diverts wastewater from her laundry to nourish fruit trees.

These techniques not only create beautiful, water-efficient landscapes but also reduce dependency on limited water supplies – a critical need for cities facing drought and water scarcity.

Retallick’s journey is captured in her book, City Nature, a 20-year story of transforming her Tucson home into a model of sustainability. The book serves as a guide for homeowners, urban planners, and community leaders seeking real-world solutions to drought.